An apparatus and a method for detecting an attention level of a driver are provided. The apparatus includes an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor that measures ECG of a driver and a controller that calculates a standard deviation of NN interval (SDNN) quantifying an attention level of the driver using the ECG measured by the ECG sensor and detects the attention level of the driver based on the calculated SDNN.
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2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the output device to output a warning sound at a minimum volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘good’, controls the output device to output a warning sound at a middle volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘average’, and controls the output device to output a warning sound at a maximum volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the output device to output a warning sound at a longest period when the attention level of the driver is ‘good’, controls the output device to output a warning sound at a middle period when the attention level of the driver is ‘average’, and controls the output device to output a warning sound at a shortest period when the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits information about the attention level of the driver to at least one of a highway driving assist (HDA) system, a lane keeping assist (LKA) system, or advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) provided in a vehicle, such that the system which receives the information about the attention level of the driver adjusts a time to warn the driver.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the system which receives the information about the attention level of the driver delays a default warning time when the attention level of the driver is ‘good’, warns the driver at the default warning time when the attention level of the driver is ‘average’, and shortens the default warning time when the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the system which receives the information about the attention level of the driver switches from an idle state to an operation state when a state where the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’ continues during a reference time.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts a time when control authority of an autonomous vehicle is handed over to the driver and a manner, which guides the driver to take over the control authority with regard to the attention level of the driver when the apparatus is loaded into the autonomous vehicle.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the warning the driver includes: outputting a warning sound at a minimum volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘good’, outputting a warning sound at a middle volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘average’, and outputting a warning sound at a maximum volume when the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the warning the driver includes: outputting a warning sound at a longest period when the attention level of the driver is ‘good’, outputting a warning sound at a middle period when the attention level of the driver is ‘average’, and outputting a warning sound at a shortest period when the attention level of the driver is ‘bad’.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: transmitting, by the controller, information about the attention level of the driver to at least one of a highway driving assist (HDA) system, a lane keeping assist (LKA) system, or advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) provided in a vehicle; and adjusting, by the system which receives the information about the attention level of the driver, a time to warn the driver.
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July 14, 2021
January 10, 2023
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